The celebrated pumpkin chai lattes are turning into protein-packed lattes as Starbucks becomes an entirely new cafe. The company has launched a campaign known as “Back to Starbucks” and hopes to turn the coffee shop into what it once was: not a grab-and-go fast food chain, but rather a welcoming cafe serving high-end products.
“Today, I’m making a commitment: We’re getting back to Starbucks,” the C.E.O of Starbucks, Brian Niccol, said in a statement,
Have you recently noticed short notes on your Starbucks drinks such as “Have a great day!” or “Hello again”? Alternatively, maybe you have realized that the baristas have been treating their customers with more respect and patience? Or possibly you picked up on the small details Starbucks has implemented, including painting the walls different colors and adding extra comfortable seating into stores? These changes might seem small, but they have an immensely large impact on the success of Starbucks—and they all stem from the new movement Niccol has begun. He aims to create a more friendly environment in his stores by enhancing the individual customer’s experience, thereby encouraging buyers to return. Moreover, the company’s CEO reinstated the enterprise’s original name: The Starbucks Coffee Company, further emphasizing his goal of trying to bring the coffee shop back to its “former glory.”
But it does not end there. The “protein-maxxing” movement is on the rise: dozens of food and drink companies have been recently marketing their products based on high protein levels, and Starbucks is doing the same. According to Today News, popular brands have begun to stuff protein into almost everything—from candy bars, popcorn, and soft-serve ice cream to items even as simple as water! The cafe is now adding protein lattes and cold foams on their permanent menu, along with an assortment of sugar-free and unsweetened options. The new protein-packed cold foam will be available in a variety of flavors, including banana, matcha, brown sugar, and classic vanilla; it will also be sold year-round starting September 29, according to a press release from Starbucks. The latest posters the company has released highlight the 27-36 grams of protein that the various new options will contain. Additionally, customers will have the option to add protein powder to any of their regular orders. Starbucks wants to avoid the stereotype that their brand is becoming an unhealthy fast-food chain, selling products full of added sugars and unnecessary chemicals. Instead, Niccol hopes to build a welcoming, positive, and community-centered environment in his stores.
So far, the brand has seen positive results.
“The best thing about this increase is that the morale is up. I see people more excited,” Vivian, one of many Starbucks assistant managers, said in a recent interview.
Looking to the future, the company plans to create an even more modernized and innovative atmosphere. The numerous new additions mentioned above are only the beginning of the “Back to Starbucks Movement,” leaving customers with one question: what could be coming next?
